


At the End of the Yellow Brick Road

by nothingeverlost



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 20:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/pseuds/nothingeverlost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma finds herself in Emerald City</p>
            </blockquote>





	At the End of the Yellow Brick Road

[ ](http://tinypic.com?ref=mk605)   


"Isn’t this the part where you hand out diplomas and ticking watches, Whale? I’ve seen the movie." One of these days she was going to stop being surprised by how many things that she’d once thought fictional were real.

She’d walked down the yellow brick road and into the Emerald City. Henry was going to love hearing this.

"I’m sure you’ve seen Snow White as well; how spot on did they get that one?" Perhaps it was the year since she’d seen him, but Whale seemed older. More remote. He wasn’t the skeeze that went out with Mary Margaret or even the doctor she’d known. The name Frankenstein suited him now, until the corner of his mouth twitched with a smile and she saw Whale. "I’m not the one that can help them, Emma. You’re the Savior."

"I didn’t miss hearing that this past year," Emma said with a sigh as she looked at her companions. A lion, a scarecrow, and a tin man. They’d all helped her. If not for them she wouldn’t be holding the shoes that would, she hoped, take her home to Henry.

There’s no place like home.

"If you’ve seen the movie than you know what they need. You don’t need me to tell you.

"Thanks, that’s helpful." A cowardly lion, a brainless scarecrow, an emotionless tin man. At least Regina hadn’t been around, that was one battle she wouldn’t have won no matter the outcome. 

"Nothing in this world is what it seems, Emma. Especially the people who walk with you." With a puff of green smoke Whale was gone; Emma honestly hoped he’d found what he needed to help his brother.

"Is there a difference between being brave and just bullshitting the people around you?" she wondered out loud as she stared at the lion. He’d pushed her forward onto the brick road when she’d been hesitant, not allowing her to hide, but he’d also protected her when she’d been in danger.

"I know who you are." She should have known that he wasn’t really gone. "Go home, Gold. Belle needs you and Neal, no matter what he says, still needs his father. Make things right with him, for the both of you and for Henry."

The visage of the lion faded away, leaving a man she only half recognized. 

"Very clever deduction, Miss Swan." He tried to play the part, half bowing and flicking his hands, but she’d seen him. She knew too much to be fooled by the mask he wore.

"You’re only afraid when it comes to the people you love."

"They have closure, a chance to move on and find their happiness." He leaned more heavily on the staff than she’d ever seen him lean on his cane.

"You’re not allowed to make that choice for them, Gold. Give them a chance. Trust their love for you." Her parents loved her. They loved her more than any dream parents she’d imagined as a child. Henry loved her. She wasn’t alone. "Be brave."

"As you wish." It was gold smoke that enveloped him; when it cleared the man was gone.

"You spent so many years knowing too many things. Is that why you’ve chosen to forget everything?" Heavy stitching in a thick black yarn connected the scarecrow’s head to his body. Emma took off her scarf and wrapped it around his neck, watching as burlap turned to skin and the scarecrow became Jefferson.

"Sometimes it’s better to forget." He looked so tired. Emma wondered when he’d last had a good night’s sleep.

"Sometimes there’s things worth remembering. You watched your daughter. You fought for her. Even when she didn’t know she was missing you, you were watching over her." She would do anything for her son. She’d long ago forgiven Jefferson for his actions. She understood. "Remember, for Grace."

"Even if it might break my heart?" he asked, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Even then," she nodded to the purple mist as it faded away, leaving her alone with the tin man and a box she hadn’t noticed. Somehow she wasn’t surprised to find a glowing an beating heart within.

"The last heartless person I knew was Regina’s mother. She tried to kill us all." She knew, despite the silence and the ax slung over the tin creatures shoulders that it wasn’t Cora. Cora wouldn’t have helped her. Cora wouldn’t have held out the shoes to her an hour ago, freed from their box by the same ax he carried.

"Do you want your heart?" She was less certain now, half wanting to don the shoes and escape back home. She was scared, but didn’t know why.

The tin man held out a hand to her, palm up.

"Take off the mask," she insisted. The air in her lungs grew scarce, but she didn’t take another breath. "Please."

It took everything in her to stay still when the tin became flesh. ”Graham. How?”

"I don’t know. I’ve been here for so long I thought Storybrooke was a dream."

"Or a nightmare." Her fingers wrapped around the shoelace on her wrist. her shoelace. The last time she’d seen him he’d died.

"I met you. How could that be a nightmare?"

Emma didn’t know if she was going to cry or smile. Biting her lip took care of both. ”If I give you your heart are you going to vanish too?”

"Gold and Jefferson both left here to be with the people that meant the most to them. My person is right here already. Where would I go?" His hand cupped her cheek; Emma had no recollection of if he’d moved closer to her or if she’d moved to him.

"I’m scared this is the dream and I’m going to wake up in my apartment alone."

"Trust me." He covered her hand with his own; they cradled his heart between them.

"I do." She gave him back his heart.


End file.
